


The Lotus and The Cherry Blossom: Love in Leaf Village

by SoundsLikeALotOfH00pla



Category: Naruto
Genre: F/M, Fluff and Angst, Hurt/Comfort, Slow Burn
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-10-17
Updated: 2020-12-16
Packaged: 2021-03-08 19:00:14
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 9
Words: 8,398
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27061579
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SoundsLikeALotOfH00pla/pseuds/SoundsLikeALotOfH00pla
Summary: Sakura is in emotional turmoil after Sasuke attacks her and leaves the Leaf Village to join Orochimaru.
Relationships: Haruno Sakura/Rock Lee
Comments: 4
Kudos: 35





	1. Sakura

It had only been a month since Sasuke defected from the Leaf Village, but it felt like years. Sakura moved aimlessly around her room, feebly shifting her clothes and weaponry in an attempt to tidy up. She needed to keep the ragged pain of her loss at bay, but she felt leaden and listless. The day after the retrieval team returned empty handed, Sakura had begged Lady Tsunade for any leads on Sasuke’s whereabouts, pestering her assistant Shizune for updates, but there wasn’t much to say.

“Sasuke is a defector and traitor,” Tsunade had growled from beneath the brim of her ceremonial Hokage hat. “I’ve got a whole village reeling from Orochimaru’s attacks and infiltrations. Looking for his whereabouts and retrieving him is not a priority right now.” Shizune had sympathetically escorted Sakura out of the audience chamber, promising to let her know if the situation changed but warning her it was best to think of other things.

Kakashi and Naruto were the only ones who could relate to her pain, but talking to them was no comfort. Naruto had been sullen and guilt-ridden before leaving to train with Jiraiya; Kakashi was cryptic and aloof. Sakura bent over and clutched her middle, suppressing a sob that she could feel swirling in her chest, building momentum like a tornado ready to roar out of her throat. This was too much. It would almost be easier if Orochimaru had killed Sasuke. The grief would have been straightforward, her mourning supported. As it was, she felt ostracized, clinging to the shred of hope that Sasuke would change his mind and return, that Naruto would bring him back. Knowing that if she mattered at all to Sasuke, he would still be here.

“Sakura?” There was a knock at her door, and her mother Mebuki’s voice sounded from the other side. “Are you busy? There’s a visitor for you.”

“I’m fine,” Sakura squeezed out. “Who came by?”

“That Lee boy from your grade. One of Guy’s students. Very thick eyebrows, that one.”

Sakura sighed. Who could forget Lee? She didn’t know if she wanted to deal with him right now. He’d been very flirtatious during the Chunin Exams, and she hadn’t seen him since to know where his head was at. He didn’t seem like an opportunist who’d make a move at a time like this, but she didn’t want to take the chance.

“I don’t know if I want to see him right now, Mom. Could you tell him I’m busy?” 

Sakura heard the soft scrape of the door sliding open and tried to look put-together as her mother stepped into the room and closed the door behind her. “Sakura, can we talk?” 

‘Not giving me much option, are you?,’ she thought. “Sure, mom. What about?”

“I know Sasuke leaving has been hard on you, but you can’t sit in your room and mope all day. Even if you squad reconfiguration’s messing with your assignments, you need to find a way to keep busy. Take your mind off things. At some point, you need to try and continue living your life. Lee was very polite and seemed concerned about you. I don’t think it would hurt to go and talk to him for five minutes.” All very civilly laid out but with a bit of an edge that let Sakura know that blowing off Lee wasn’t really an option. 

Her mother had never cared for Sasuke. After Itachi had murdered the entire Uchiha clan, she’d given him a wide berth. Sakura felt the unfairness of it all boiling in her veins. ‘No one in this village even gave Sasuke a chance! No one knows him like I do! They always distrusted him, and now they’re all glad just to see the back of him!’ Before Sakura could say something she’d regret, she straightened up and brushed past her mother to go talk to Lee. “Got it, mom.” Her mother trailed behind her.

Lee was waiting downstairs, sitting on the couch with his hands clasped in front of him. He bowed his head to Sakura’s mother. “Thank you, Haruno-san.” He inclined his head to Sakura as well. “Hello, Sakura-san. I hope you have been well?”

Sakura felt her mouth twist into a smirk at the ridiculous question but reigned it in. “Yes. And you?”

“I have been well. My encounter with Kimimaro-san slowed my recovery a bit, but Guy-sensei is confident that with a few adjustments to my physical therapy, I will be back in peak physical condition in no time!”

That was right. She’d forgotten about the other genin who had gone to retrieve Sasuke. A wave of guilt swept over her. So many genin, some near death, and she hadn’t thought to check on any of them. Five Leaf Ninja genin injured while she sat comfortably at home and waited, useless as always, a consummate bystander. She felt her face begin to crumble and her face to spasm.

Rock Lee finally seemed to notice the tension in the air. He froze, looking between Sakura and Mebuki. “Would you… Would you like to go on a run around the village tomorrow?” He blurted.

With her mother looming over her shoulder, Sakura felt like she had no choice but to say yes.


	2. Rock Lee

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lee, still recovering from his injuries from the Chunin Exam and Kimimaro, grapples with his feelings for Sakura.

‘That went terribly. “Are you doing well?” Of course, she is not! Why did I ask?’ Lee berated himself while jumping rope at his training spot in the forest. If he couldn’t do 3,000 jumps, then he would have to do 5,000 kicks. He knew that Sakura had rejected him, loved Sasuke instead, but he still wanted her to be happy. Naruto was the one who’d made the showy promise to bring Sasuke back, but Rock Lee had made a promise to himself to do the same.

Naruto had casually congratulated him after the chunin exams and mentioned how Sakura had watched him. “You were pretty great! Sakura was even cheering you on. Didn’t know you had it in you, Bushy Brows!” Lee wished he’d been able to see the admiration in her eyes. He’d hoped that if he could return Sasuke, he might be able to see it for himself, however briefly. But I failed. And then I asked her tactless questions. 

Unlike Naruto, Lee hadn’t been close to Sakura before the incident. He had flirted with her; she was disgusted. He had protected her during the chunin exams. But he didn’t know if he’d built up the good grace that would make her want to continue seeing him after this failure. He counted his jumps to himself: ‘Two thousand two hundred and fifty, two thousand two hundred fifty-one; two thousand two hundred fifty-.’ He tripped over the jump rope and sprawled on the ground. 5,000 kicks it was.

He had put on a brave face for Sakura, but he wasn’t sure how his rehabilitation was going. He had been about 80% through his recovery plan when he’d gone to fight Kimimaro. The lacerations and internal bruising were minor compared to Gaara’s Sand Coffin and the self-inflicted damage of opening the 5th Gate, but it was still a major setback. Lee stopped the self-doubt midspiral. ‘Initial reports were that I would never be a genin again after the damage Gaara inflicted upon me, but that was untrue. There is nothing I can not accomplish without hard work. It is my Ninja Way!’ He started his kicks with a renewed energy. The same determination and discipline that had helped him overcome his frailty would help him overcome Sakura’s despair.


	3. Sakura & Rock Lee

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sakura and Rock Lee go for their planned jog and surprise themselves with their vulnerability.

The next morning, Sakura and Rock Lee met at Hokage Rock to begin their run. Sakura politely greeted Lee before they began their stretches, but she seemed distant. ‘Should I ask her what is wrong? Or is it best to distract her?,’ Lee wondered. Eventually, he couldn’t contain his guilt.

“Sakura-san, I am sorry I did not bring Sasuke-kun home.” 

“What... what do you mean?” Sakura stammered, shocked out of her introspection.

“I was the last leg of the team. If I had arrived faster or fought harder, Naruto-kun could have intercepted Sasuke-kun and returned him to the village. I have let you down, and for that, I am sorry.” 

Tears beaded at the corner of Sakura’s eyes. “Oh, Lee-san.” Lee stopped stretching and looked at Sakura. He awkwardly stretched his arms towards her then retreated, unsure how best to reassure her.

“I am sorry, Sakura-san. Perhaps I should not have even brought it up.”

“Lee-san, don’t be ridiculous.” Sakura hiccuped, trying to steady her breathing. “You have nothing to apologize for. You tried your best. It’s not like I was any help. I was so useless. And none of this would matter anyway if… if Sasuke hadn’t left in the first place.” Something about speaking this last truth aloud tore at Sakura’s heart. She bawled, unable to contain the tears any longer.

She turned away from Lee, covering her face. Soon enough, she knew her eyes would be red and puffy, and her nose would be crusty with snot. Not something she wanted a stranger, even one as odd as Lee, to see. 

Rock Lee started to apologize then, remembering Sakura’s previous admonishment, reconsidered. “I was hoping that a run would help you keep your mind off of Sasuke-kun. I wish I knew how to make you feel better,” he said cautiously. He didn’t have any tissues with him. Unfortunately, for all Guy-sensei’s wisdom, he hadn’t thought to give Lee a jumpsuit with pockets. 

Lee slid the weight off his left leg and removed the orange leg warmer that held it in place. He tapped Sakura’s shoulder and offered it to her. “You can use this for your face. It should not be too smelly. I wash it once a week.” As soon as the words left his mouth, he cringed. ‘Why did I tell her that? How uncool,’ he chastised himself. He wrapped the leg weights back in place with the compression bands from his arms, using the movement as an excuse to hide his embarrassment.

Sakura took the leg warmer and wiped her face, blowing her nose into it a couple times. She laughed weakly. “Lee-san, this is completely disgusting. I can’t return this. I’ll wash it and drop it off at your house first thing tomorrow morning.” There was an awkward silence. “This is embarrassing. Blubbering like this and getting snot all over your clothes. This is a lot. I’m sorry. I feel so…” She trailed off at the end. If there was anything more embarrassing than crying in front of a stranger about a boy who didn’t want her, it would be repeatedly admitting what a failure of a genin she was. 

“Sakura-san, you are not useless,” Lee blurted out. “You are kind. You are kind and brave and smart.” ‘And beautiful, but now is not the time to say such a thing.’ Lee felt a pang of regret. ‘It may never be the time.’

Sakura sneered. “I’m not brave. In battle, I let Naruto and Kakashi-sensei and Sasuke-kun cover for me. And kind and smart don’t make a kunoichi. Strength does. And I’m not strong.” Her voice trailed off. “I may never be.”

‘Compliments are hard,’ Lee thought as he struggled with what to say next. He cocked his head and thought over Sakura’s words. “Perhaps kindness has nothing to do with being a kunoichi. But intelligence and strategy do. And you can always increase your strength. Like me. No one thought I could be a shinobi because of my low affinity for ninjutsu and genjutsu, but with my knowledge of taijutsu, I am able to hold my own against other ninja. You’re already better off than I was because you can use ninjutsu. With some strength training, you could easily be a mighty kunoichi.”

Sakura winced and gave her nose a firm rub. “I’m sorry. I keep making this about me. I forgot to ask how your physical therapy is going.”

Rock Lee waved her off. “Do not apologize, Sakura-san. There is nothing to ask about. I am fine. With my youthful energy, I will be back to my former self in no time. I guarantee it!” He gave her a toothy smile and a thumbs up, a mannerism that he thought made him look heroic and reassuring.

Sakura peered at him over the makeshift handkerchief. “You don’t have to lie, Lee-san. You’re favoring certain limbs when you stretch, and I’ve seen you flinching. Are you sure you’re fine?”

Rock Lee sighed. “Truthfully, Sakura-san, I do not know. All my life, I have wanted to be a shinobi. I can not imagine a future doing anything else.” He clenched his fist at his side, remembering the promise he had made to himself when he first started his training as a genin. “I have to believe I will make a full recovery. Working hard has not failed me yet. I will just train and push myself to be the best ninja that I can be.”

Sakura nodded. “I guess I’ll just have to take it a day at a time to be the strongest ninja I can be too. Enough complaining.” She tucked the soiled leg warmer into the pouch strapped to her right leg. “Now let’s see who can finish this jog first,” she said, a glimmer in her eyes.


	4. Sakura

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After hearing Lee's advice, Sakura takes a new step on her path to becoming a shinobi.

When Sakura returned home, she was sweating and pink-cheeked. As it turned out, no one had finished the jog first. Lee could have won, even in his degraded state, if he’d been trying. Every time it looked like he would pull ahead, he would jog in place or double back and give her a head start. Sakura had the chance to return the favor when his makeshift leg weight holder slid around his ankle, tripping him. She jogged in place while he adjusted. “If the Devil of the Leaf Village could wait for me, I figure it’s only fair,” she’d teased in an unexpected moment of playfulness. Lee had blushed and apologized for the inconvenience.

“How was the run, hon?” Sakura’s father Kizashi interrupted her reverie. It looked like he was cleaning up after his and Mebuki’s lunch.

“Honestly?” Sakura replied. “It was good. It was nice to get out, and weird as Rock Lee is, he had some things to say that I needed to hear.” She thought to herself, ‘Glad my worries about him flirting didn’t amount to anything. Lee’s a decent guy. I’m kinda glad my mom strongarmed me into going. Not that she needs to know that.‘

“Oh? What did he have to say?” Kizashi inquired.

“Just some stuff about his training as a genin. What with Sasuke,” Sakura felt a lump in her throat like a dead hamster keeping her from speaking. She tried to push out the word ‘defecting’ but couldn’t. She took a deep breath and continued, “What with Sasuke not being here, and Team 7 being in limbo, I was kinda doubting my future as a kunoichi. He reminded me not to give up so easily.”

“Well, that’s good.” Kizashi gestured at the orange bulge spilling out of the pouch strapped to Sakura’s right thigh. “What’s that you have?”

“Oh, Lee lent me one of his leg weights,” Sakura sidestepped the story of crying in front of Lee. “I’ll return it to him tomorrow. Then I think I’ll request an audience with Lady Tsunade.”

Kizashi’s forehead creased, and he stopped fiddling with the dishes. “Not asking about Sasuke again, I hope.”

“No.” Sakura shook her head and smiled, a small gesture filled with sadness and determination. “I have a request for her. A proposition.”


	5. Sakura

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sakura returns Lee's leg warmer, and they come to an agreement.

Sakura couldn’t believe Tsunade had agreed to take her on as an apprentice! Tsunade would be an intimidating task mistress, and the training to become a medical-nin was daunting, but she felt a renewed confidence that she was on the right path to become a formidable kunoichi. Sakura bounded to Lee’s house to return his leg warmer, barely able to contain her energy. She knocked on the door, but no one answered. She waited before knocking again but still no answer. She craned her neck to look into the windows, searching for any sign of life, but most were shuttered. ‘Where could he be?,’ she wondered. ‘It’s almost noon. Maybe he’s training? Where does his team usually gather?’ Sakura headed towards the forest, hoping to bump into Guy, Neji, or Tenten. By luck, she saw Hinata exiting Yamanaka Flowers. 

“Hinata-san! Please wait!” Sakura waved her arms and ran towards Hinata.

Hinata froze in her tracks and hunched a bit like a rabbit trying to outwait a predator. Sakura could already feel her irritation towards the timid genin rising, but she maintained a polite facade.

“Hinata-san, sorry to bother you, but have you seen Team Guy around? I’m trying to find Lee-san and thought they might be off training together. Hope you’re doing well by the way.” Sakura threw in the last bit as an afterthought.

Hinata moved her lips, and a low whisper, like static from a walkie-talkie, floated out. Sakura couldn’t decipher a word that she said.

“Sorry, Hinata-san. Didn’t catch that. Do you mind saying that again?” Sakura prodded. 

Hinata started tapping her index fingers together. “I’m f-fine.” She was speaking a little louder, but Sakura still had to lean in to understand anything she was saying. “Team Guy isn’t training together today. Lee-san usually trains in the forest by the Ninja Academy. You might be able to find him there.” 

“Thanks, Hinata-san! Have a good day!” Sakura sped off toward the forest, grumbling to herself. ‘Cha! Would it kill the girl to act like she had a spine and speak a little louder?’

It was easy enough to find Lee. As Sakura neared the Ninja Academy, she could hear his loud whooping and the thud of knuckles on bark. She followed the sound of Lee’s voice through the forest, ducking under branches and occasionally shaking debris out of her hair.

“Lee-san!” she called out to avoid startling him. “It’s me, Sakura! Where are you?” The rhythmic thuds stopped. She saw his signature bowl cut poking out from behind a tree trunk a few yards in front of her.

“Lee-san!” She jogged over to him. “Sorry to interrupt your training. I just wanted to return your leg warmer.” She proffered the orange cloth. “Cleaned it, just like I promised.”

“Thank you, Sakura-san. I have missed it. This will be a great improvement over my compression bands.” Lee smiled appreciatively as he switched them out.

“You didn’t have any extra leg warmers?” Sakura asked incredulously.

Lee shook his head. “No. Well, I should return to my training.”

“Right. Right.” Sakura watched Rock Lee resume his punches but couldn’t bring herself to leave. There were words caught at the back of her throat, and she’d have to wait to work them out. “Lee-san?” She managed to push out. “Sorry to interrupt.”

Lee turned around. “Sakura-san?”

“I just wanted to thank you for checking on me the other day. I really needed that run.” Lee paused, the corners of his mouth turned up slightly, then he nodded in acknowledgment. “I’m going to be working as Lady Tsunade’s apprentice.”

A grin bloomed across Lee’s face, and he jumped into the air. “What great news, Sakura-san! How exciting to be mentored by such a powerful kunoichi.” He hesitated a bit before continuing to speak. “I must admit that I am glad you will be staying in the Leaf Village. When Naruto-kun left to train with Jiraiya-san, I worried that you might want to leave as well.” A deep blush spread across his cheeks.

“I’m glad I’ll be staying too.” Sakura faltered for a moment, torn between safe detachment and sharing vulnerable truths. “Those things that you told me. I really needed to hear them…. Thank you.”

Lee gulped. “Glad I could be of help, Sakura-san.”

Sakura smiled. “You don’t have to keep being so formal. I think we’ll be good friends.” She subtly emphasized the last word. Lee had been very polite, but still she didn’t want any confusion.

“Indeed!” Lee declared, unphased. “I feel the same as well.’” 

There was an awkward pause. It seemed like Lee was waiting to say something. Sakura waited, studying him to see if he would speak again. When the silence became uncomfortable, she excused herself. “Well, I think I’ll head home. Hope the rest of your training goes well, Lee-kun.” Her farewell galvanized Lee into action.

“Wait,” Lee said. “Since we’ll both need to work on our strength, perhaps we could start training together! I come here to work out every other day.”

Sakura mulled it over. It would be humiliating. Lee was a taijutsu specialist after all. His strength and stamina would be far beyond hers, and he wouldn’t be holding back like he did during their jog. But a workout buddy with his experience would be invaluable, and she couldn’t let fear immobilize her forever. The enemy’s intimidation had kept her on the sidelines of battles before, and she needed to break the habit of being cowed by those she thought outclassed her. She was trying to be an impressive kunoichi, a new and better Sakura. With some trepidation, she agreed to the training.


	6. Sakura

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sakura starts her 1st day of training with Lee and Tsunade.

Sakura stood outside of Lady Tsunade’s audience chamber. It was her first day of training with the Hokage. Something about it still didn’t feel real. She looked around the hallway for Shizune or another attendant to confirm that Lady Tsunade was ready for her, but the corridor was empty. Sakura took a deep breath and knocked firmly on the door.

“Yes?” Tsunade’s voice answered from the other side. “Who is it? Come in.”

Sakura slid the door open and entered the room. Lady Tsunade was seated at her desk leafing through a heap of scrolls piled in front of her. She must not have had any recent appointments because her ceremonial hat rested on a nearby chair. Tsunade looked up from her paperwork. “Ah, Sakura. You came.” Tsunade squinted at her watch. “A little late aren’t you?”

‘Late? How could I be late? I planned to get here five minutes early,’ Sakura sputtered internally. She tried to answer with confidence. “You said to meet you at one o’ clock, and it’s one now, Lady Tsunade.”

“Is that so?” Lady Tsunade rose and waved a hand dismissively. “No matter. Let’s get started with training.” She walked to her library in the adjacent room, gesturing for Sakura to follow. Sakura tripped a little over her feet in her nervousness to keep up. “How much do you know about human anatomy and physiology?” Tsunade asked, not bothering to look over her shoulder.

“Um… could you be more specific?” Sakura queried.

Tsunade stopped in the center of the library and turned around, an eyebrow raised. “I think it’s a pretty straightforward question. How much do you know? Have you taken an elementary anatomy class? A CPR class? First aid even?” 

Sakura scrambled internally, trying to dredge up any knowledge from her Ninja Academy days. She knew that skin was the largest human organ. And that there were over 200 bones in a human skeleton. Was it 256? “Uh,” she stalled for time.

Tsunade’s stern face was impassive. “So you know nothing. I can work with that. Better than you knowing a lot of incorrect information, I guess.” The library was a small circular room, the perimeter lined with floor-to-ceiling shelves. Tsunade scanned them and pulled out a tome. “Your first homework assignment is to memorize the information in here.” She riffled through the pages for Sakura’s benefit, showing her the diagrams of skeletons and nerves and organs. “This is an introductory anatomy textbook.”

Sakura nodded. She was used to memorization after the Academy. “Which chapters?”

“You’ll need to memorize the whole thing.” Sakura was speechless. “On the battle field, you won’t have time to consult an encyclopedia or a diagnosis manual. You’ll need to know all of this off the top of your head and make snap judgements. But I guess if you don’t know anything, it’s not realistic that you’ll have this memorized by our next lesson.” Sakura relaxed a little. “Let’s aim for the skeletal system. You have two weeks to memorize the name and placements for all the bones in the skeletal system.”

“Y-yes, Lady Tsunade,” Sakura stammered out. Two weeks? Two measly weeks? 

Tsunade continued talking before Sakura could let the panic sink in. “How’s your chakra control? Have you done any training on that?”

Finally, something she was competent at. “Kakashi-sensei had me do a lot of exercises. He said I was pretty advanced at it.”

Tsunade grunted and took a crisp piece of paper from a nearby table. She lay it flat on her left palm and then flipped her hand so the palm faced the floor. The paper clung to her hand as if pressed against an invisible desk. “I want you to copy my technique. Stick this paper to your hand using chakra without creasing the paper. Your application of chakra will have to be very delicate and very even.” Tsunade gingerly removed the papr and handed it to Sakura.

This was a far cry from the training Kakashi had her complete. Sakura had trained using chakra on the soles of her feet to climb trees. Too little chakra and she’d fall off. Too much chakra and she’d splinter the wood. It would be easy for Sakura not to drop the paper, but distributing the chakra evenly across her palm to avoid crumpling it would take more finesse. She’d have almost no notice that she was bending the paper, so she’d need to know beforehand exactly how much chakra to use. Sakura took the sheet and placed it on her left palm. She tried to visualize the chakra distribution she’d need - a lot at the flat surfaces of her fingers, looser at her uneven palms. She couldn’t plan too much around this, either she knew how to do or it she didn’t. She took a deep breath, concentrated her chakra, and flipped her left palm towards the floor.

The paper stuck as expected. Tsunade gently gripped a corner of the page, and Sakura released her chakra so that Tsunade could inspect it. She held it to the light, so shadows would quickly reveal ridges in the paper. “Huh,” Tsunade hummed. “Not bad.” She pointed towards the center of the page. Sakura cursed internally. She could see a few of the tell-tale ridges. “One, two… five creases. Not bad.” Tsunade lowered her arm. “Kakashi trained you well.”

Tsunade rapidly tested Sakura’s strength, her memory, her reflexes. She often found Sakura lacking, taking notes in a ledger of what tasks Sakura was able to perform. Sakura’s head was spinning with all the exercises she’d need to do and the skills she’d need to acquire. “Being a medical-nin is no joke,” Tsunade shrugged, perhaps sensing Sakura’s bewilderment. “It takes a lot of skill and dedication. I hope you’re not questioning your apprenticeship already.”

“Of course not, Lady Tsunade!” Sakura blurted. Quitting after a day? Cha, who did she think Sakura was!

Tsunade nodded. “Good. You have potential. You just need to hone it. An easy place to start would be strength training. I can teach you jutsu that will exponentially increase your power, but it’s always nice to have a solid base without it. You don’t want to expend chakra you don’t have to.”

“I’m training with Rock Lee.”

“Good. He’s gifted and knowledgeable. And you can also help me keep an eye on his recovery. This is lucky. I don’t know if you could’ve picked a better training partner.”

“Probably not,” Sakura replied. 

“Well, I didn’t have anything else planned for today. Start your physical training and memorizing the skeletal system. I’ll start quizzing you on that, so you’re prepared for the two week mark.”

“Thank you, Lady Tsunade,” Sakura bowed deeply and left the audience chamber. Unconsciously, her feet started heading home before she stopped short. ‘Oh, right,’ she recalled. ‘I told Lee I could train with him today.’ She tried not to bellyache about it. Lee was doing her a bit of a favor, and she had to do the strength training anyway. Might as well get it over with now. 

She jogged to his increasingly familiar training area in the woods. It looked like today he was practicing kicks. “Hey, Lee,” she greeted him. 

He snapped to attention. “Hello Sakura-s…” He stopped and corrected himself. “Hello, Sakura. How was your first lesson with Lady Tsunade?”

Sakura forced nonchalance. “Could’ve been better. Could’ve been worse.” ‘I don’t know how that would’ve been possible though,’ she couldn’t keep herself from grumbling internally.

She was expecting a high-energy pep talk, but instead Lee shrugged. “We all have to start somewhere. I am sure you did fine.” He turned towards the tree, and Sakura noticed that he’d brought an oversized bag with him. He rummaged in it and brought out a small notebook. He flipped it open and looked back at Sakura. “Did Lady Tsunade tell you any specific areas that need improvement? I have core workouts, leg workouts, upper body workouts...”

“Uh, just everything… in general. It was so much stuff I couldn’t really keep track. I don’t know if she could either to be honest.”

Lee’s voice grew stern. “Sakura, I am going to have to stop you there.” Sakura was taken aback. “This is my training ground. This is serious business. No talking down on yourself here. If you want to get better you have to manifest it. Speak it into existence!”

‘Oh, God,” Sakura complained to herself. ‘I thought I was done with all this believe-it nonsense when Naruto left.’ 

Lee continued, unbothered or oblivious to Sakura’s skepticism. “I agreed to train with you because I believe in your ability to become a powerful kunoichi. But for that to happen, you need to believe it. So I want to hear you say it!”

“Say what?” Sakura was completely taken aback at being bossed around by the typically mild-mannered Lee.

“Say ‘I will be a powerful kunoichi.’” Lee crossed his arms and looked at her expectantly.

“Wha-, say… Lee, this is so embarrassing.” Lee was unmoved. “Ok, I will be a powerful kunoichi.”

“Louder!” Lee barked. “I am not convinced. Let me hear the conviction in your voice.”

“I will be a powerful kunoichi,” Sakura raised her voice slightly.

“Louder!”

Sakura took a deep breath and bellowed, “I WILL BE A POWERFUL KUNOICHI!”

“Yes, you will! Now give me 50 push-ups!” Lee pointed emphatically and started pacing. “Every time you are self-deprecating in this training ground, you get another exercise. Next time, it will be 100 squats!” Sakura just stared, jaw slack. She didn’t know what she was signing up for when she agreed to be Lee’s workout buddy. Lee stopped pacing and, upon seeing the shocked expression on Sakura’s face, his commanding demeanor broke. “ I mean, can you please do 50 push-ups to start off, Sakura-san?”

“Um...Sure, Lee.” 

“Good, good.” Lee laid on the politeness. “Thank you.”

Sakura got through the 50 push-ups. Her middle burned, and her arms were wobbly. Lee gave her a hearty congratulations before putting her through her paces. After determining that Tsunade’s attacks were punch-based, Lee announced it would be best to train hips, shoulders, chest, and core. He gave her a regular routine of squats, planks, and pullups and a nutritional guide for building muscle. After training, Sakura went home and flopped her bed, mentally and physically exhausted. ‘Remember,’ she told herself, ‘This is what you wanted.’ She didn’t even get a chance to eat dinner before falling into a fitful sleep.


	7. Rock Lee

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> During a dinner with his team mates, Lee catches up with Tenten.

A month had passed since Sakura and Rock Lee started training together daily, and they settled into a comfortable rhythm. Guiding Sakura helped distract Lee from his frustratingly slow recovery. She seemed to view the training as bitter medicine, begrudgingly doing exercises though she didn’t complain again after Lee’s pronouncement on the first day. Lee didn’t understand her reluctance. Physical training was such a joyful experience and made him feel so alive. He loved the dull burn in his muscles and the stiffness in his limbs after a workout that had pushed him to his limits. He enjoyed the serene logic of picking exercises to maximize each new technique he learned. There were so many parts of his life reliant on chance, but here he made his own luck, controlled his own fate. 

He hoped that Sakura would see the beauty of this routine too. One day when she seemed particularly dispirited, Lee tried to explain to her. She had nodded politely, and he thought she’d understood. When he finished talking, she shook her head ruefully and sighed, “You’re just lucky, Lee. You’re so strong, and this all comes to you so effortlessly.” He was torn between joy at the compliment and a heavy feeling of despair that he wasn’t even close to his condition before the chunin exam.

In the meantime, Team Guy’s assignments trickled in, and Lee rarely saw Neji or Tenten. Just yesterday, Tenten had reached out saying she missed everyone and inviting Lee and the rest of the team to meet at Ichiraku Ramen for an early dinner. Not wanting to inconvenience everyone, Lee arrived 15 minutes early. He was deep in thought poring over the menu when Tenten spotted him.

“Lee! It’s nice to see you!” She clapped him on the back before sitting on one of the high stools next to him.

“Ah, Tenten. How have you been?” Lee greeted his chipper teammate. 

“Good. Honing my Ninpo Kuchiyose. And you?”

He decided to give Tenten the positive version. “Good. My recovery is going as planned. I have been doing some physical training with Sakura-chan and made great gains.”

Tenten smiled encouragingly. “Glad to hear about your recovery.” She paused and craned her neck to look around the crowded ramen shop. “Did Neji and Guy-sensei get here already?” 

Lee shook his head. “No. I have not seen them.”

Still eyeing the restaurant’s other clientele, Tenten sat back down. “OK. Good.” She leaned in to Lee a bit and lowered her voice. “You don’t still have feelings for Sakura-san, do you?”

Lee pursed his lips, but he could feel his ears turning red. ‘What a question,’ he thought to himself.

Tenten sighed and gently shouldered him. “Not trying to be overbearing, but I don’t want to see you get hurt. Sakura-san’s not available right now.” She pointed to her chest. “In here, you know? She’s pretty torn up about Sasuke-san.”

“I am aware that she still has feelings for Sasuke-kun. It is clear to see that she is still grieving from his defection.” For a brief moment, Lee had hoped that she might be developing feelings for him, but he realized now how foolish that was. A childhood crush and close team member had attacked her and betrayed the village. It would take more than a month of cardio for her to move on from that. When they trained together, Sakura seemed in good spirits, but when they finished and walked home their separate ways, he sometimes saw her staring emptily into the distance as if she were looking for Sasuke.

Tenten looked at him with some concern. “Well, if you do still have feelings for her, you’re gonna need to put them aside. If you don’t, you could tear yourself up and hurt her in the process.”

Lee grunted an acknowledgment. 

“Neji, there you are! And Guy-sensei.” Tenten flagged them down. “Come sit here!” Their arrival spared Lee any more questions.


	8. Rock Lee

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lee goes to his mentor Might Guy for advice on his complicated feelings for Sakura.

The morning after the dinner with Team Guy, Lee still found himself mulling over Tenten’s advice, ‘Is it best to just leave Sakura alone? Her presence is so dear to me... But am I being selfish?’ Lee didn’t spend much time debating who to ask for advice. He made a beeline for Might Guy’s home.

He knocked at the door. “Guy-sensei?”

“Just a minute.” Lee heard a rustling, and then his exuberant teacher opened the door. ”Good to see you, Lee! Come in, come in!” Lee stepped out of his shoes and walked into his home away from home. “Please, have a seat.” Guy gestured to the worn grey couch, quite familiar to Lee by this point, and Lee sat down.

“I was just making tea. Would you like some?”

“Yes, please, Guy-sensei.” Like Lee, Guy didn’t come from a prominent ninja clan. Rather than a grand familial compound, Guy lived alone in his small home. The decor was minimalist, every piece of furniture sturdy and worn but obviously well-cared for. Lee looked around the room and saw Guy’s ancestral altar. A photo of Duy, Guy’s father and the creator of the Hidden Lotus taijutsu Lee had inherited, was prominently displayed next to a small plate of oranges and a fully stocked incense holder. Lee took a deep breath, and his nostrils filled with the scents of spices from Guy’s kitchen commingled with citrus and sandalwood from the altar. Lee’s mind, which had been frenetically analyzing his dilemma, started to feel at ease amidst these comforting surroundings.

“Guy-sensei, I need some advice.” 

“Of course. I always have time for my pupils’ questions.” Guy put their tea on the table and sat a chair across from Lee.

“It is about a girl.”

Guy spluttered. “Oh, well. I didn’t realize we’d be talking about this so soon. I don’t think I have anything prepared.”

Lee continued, “We are friends.” Guy was visibly relieved. “But I have feelings for her.” Guy tensed up again. “There is not much point in being vague. The girl is Sakura-chan. But I do not think now is the time to discuss my love for her. Even if she never reciprocates my romantic feelings, I want to support her through these difficult times. It is all so confusing. Do you think we can try to be friends? Or is it best to give her space?” Rock Lee got out his notebook and pencil in preparation for the wisdom Guy would gift him.

“Well, Lee, that’s quite the question.” Guy began stroking his chin. “Love, well... it is a burning thing.” Lee started to transcribe Guy’s speech. “And it makes a fire-y ring. Why, Lee, it can bind you with a wild desire.”

Lee stopped writing. “Guy-sensei, are you quoting a song?”

“No, Lee. I’m making a point. When you love someone very deeply, it can cause you to act irrationally. This can endanger relationships when the love is not reciprocated. It can be difficult to curb the fires of a passionate youth.”

“So then it is best to stop contact?” Lee said dolefully.

“I didn’t say that.” Might Guy looked affronted.

“Apologies, Guy-sensei.”

“That’s quite all right, Lee. Youth is passionate and fire-y, but youth is also malleable. Perhaps one day, Sakura’s feelings will change. Perhaps they won’t. Perhaps your feelings for her will dim. Perhaps they won’t. What I’m saying here Lee is to work hard! And never give up! Be a man of honor and integrity!”

Lee finished his notes. He skimmed through what he had written to see if he had missed anything. “Guy-sensei?” he said, some doubt in his voice.

“Yes, Lee?”

Lee broke into a smile. “I am so glad I came to you for advice! You are right. I think the best course of action would be to put my feelings aside and to help Sakura through this trying time. Although it hurts that she is not romantically interested in me, making sure she is alright is far more pressing. And she is someone I think I could have a wonderful friendship with. Thank you, Guy-sensei!”

“Heh,” Guy smugly sipped his tea. "Any time, Lee. Any time.”


	9. Sakura

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tsunade gives Sakura her first test, and Sakura gets to know Shizune and Tonton.

Sakura looked down at her hands, picking at the skin around her nails. It was an old habit that returned when she was nervous. In the past, she’d worried her hands until blood beaded in the lateral nail fold. Sakura interlocked her fingers to stop herself. She and Lady Tsunade were seated across from each other in the hokage’s library. Sakura had just completed a test on the skeletal system and returned it for grading. It had been difficult finding time to study between her rigorous physical training and chakra exercises. On good days, Sakura was able to force in a few hours of study after dinner. Some days Sakura came home too tired to do more than kick off her shoes, eat a bowl of cereal, and lie in a sore, stiff heap on her bed. She often skipped lunch to review flashcards or repeat pneumonic devices to herself like some bizarre chant. She just hoped it was enough.

Lady Tsunade leisurely ran her finger over the test paper, tracing Sakura’s labels back to the tagged bone. Sakura wished Lady Tsunade could grade faster. In the tense silence, she was uncomfortably aware of her own erratic breathing and the slithering noise of Tsunade’s finger tracing across the paper. Lady Tsunade finally spoke, “You missed some of the bones in the skull and the wrist.” Sakura flinched. Tsunade continued looking at the paper, unperturbed. “Final score of 93%.” 

Sakura felt her cheeks flush with pride. That was a high A! Her hard work had paid off! “That’s good enough for now,” Lady Tsunade continued. Sakura’s mouth opened slightly in shock. Lady Tsunade looked up from the test. “I’m going to keep giving you this every day until you can name all the bones correctly. There’s no room for error or luck in the field.”

Sakura’s mouth went dry, and she felt a lump forming in her throat. She clasped her hands tighter and forced herself to sit up straighter. “Yes, ma’am,” she forced out.

Lady Tsunade laid the paper down on the table and leaned back in her chair, steepling her fingers and looking appraisingly at Sakura. “Your chakra control could use work, but I think you’re far enough along for some basic first aid.” She looked over her shoulder and barked. “Shizune!” 

“Yes, ma’am?” Sakura jumped a little as Shizune stepped forward with Tonton in her arms. Shizune usually hovered silently behind Lady Tsunade, taking notes and rarely drawing attention to herself unless her assistance was requested. She was Tsunade’s very helpful shadow, and Sakura often forgot about her. 

“Bring out the chakra dummy, please.”

“Yes, ma’am,” Shizune bowed slightly before putting Tonton down and walking over to a corner of the library. She quickly returned wheeling an adult-sized mannequin. Unlike the smooth exterior of the mannequins Sakura usually saw in store displays, the dummy had a series of lines and holes etched into its surface and a large spiral over its stomach. “I’m sure this looks familiar to you,” Lady Tsunade prompted Sakura.

“Yes, these are the chakra openings and pressure points we learned about in the Ninja Academy,” Sakura answered.

Lady Tsunade nodded and stood, beckoning for Shizune to return to her position. “Correct. I’m sure you know the general theories about how our bodies generate and distribute chakra, but it’s time to get into the specifics and look at the medical implications.” 

Sakura reached for her pen and paper to take notes. “One of the medical uses of chakra manipulation is pain reduction,” Lady Tsunade began her lecture. Sakura desperately scribbled diagrams to capture everything Tsunade told her. After a few hours of feverish transcribing and practical demonstrations, Sakura’s head was spinning, and her hand was cramping. She was relieved when it was finally time to break for lunch.

Sakura considered skipping her meal to cram for the re-test tomorrow, but her rumbling stomach reminded her that eating was mandatory. She was calculating how much time she needed to wolf down her boxed lunch to maximize her studying when she saw Shizune approach her. “Excuse me, Sakura-san. I don’t mean to impose, but would you like to join me for lunch?” Shizune asked. “I usually buy something from one of the stands nearby.” Sakura started to decline the offer but felt a twinge of guilt. In the time she’d spent training with the hokage, this was the closest to a real conversation she’d had with Shizune.

“I brought my own, but I’d be happy to eat with you,” Sakura replied, picking up her lunch bag. If she made sure to drink an extra strong cup of coffee after today’s workout with Lee, she would probably have the energy after dinner to make up for the missed study time.

“Do you mind if I bring Tonton?” Shizune asked. Sakura warily eyed the small pig. She wasn’t too fond of animals. Shizune followed her gaze and chuckled, “She’s well-behaved, I promise.” Sakura had some doubts about how well-behaved a pig could be, but judging from the pristine condition of Tonton’s velvet jacket and pearl necklace, Shizune wasn’t exaggerating.

“Of course that’s fine,” Sakura replied.

“Great,” Shizune smiled and bent down to clip a leash on Tonton. Then they exited the hokage’s suite in the administrative wing of the Ninja Academy. The building was a hub for prospective genin, various government employees, and foreign petitioners. During lunch hours, this also made the road in front of the building a prime spot for savvy street vendors. 

Their stalls lined the streets, and throngs of impulsive students and harried adults milled among them. The air was filled with the shouts of vendors boasting of their food, the loud sizzle of meat frying in pans, and the subdued noise of vegetables charring on grills. Scents of shoyu, mirin, and fried dough mingled in the air. Sakura was thankful that she had left her wallet at home. This was taking her back to her days at the Academy. Her mother always packed her lunch, but Sakura usually had some pocket money for sweets. She and Ino would buy dango and ogle Sasuke. One day when Ino was feeling particularly bold, she’d invited Sasuke to join them while they explored the stalls. He’d looked at them in haughty disinterest and walked away without speaking. Sakura wondered if the seeds of his disgust for the Leaf Village had been sown even then but dropped that line of questioning. Now wasn’t the time for wallowing.

Sakura turned to her companion, hoping that she hadn’t created an awkward silence. “Everything smells amazing. Where do you usually eat, Shizune-san?”

Shizune pointed to a stand with fragrant smoke billowing from its grill. “That one has some great pork skewers.” She looked down apologetically at Tonton. “Although I feel bad eating pork in front of her,” Shizune laughed.

Sakura shrugged. “I wouldn’t worry about it. I visited my cousins on a farm, and they fed their pigs some pork belly once just to see if they would eat it. The others were fighting to get a taste too. I don’t know if they really care.”

Shizune grimaced, “Guess it’s for my comfort more than anything. But Tonton’s pretty perceptive. She’ll stand at attention when she thinks she hears her name.” Shizune looked wistfully at the menu “Although that ton... see!” She pointed excitedly at Tonton. Sure enough, Tonton had perked her little ears and was looking expectantly up at Shizune. Shizune guiltily locked eyes with the small pig and leaned down to scratch her behind the ears.

Sakura giggled. “Guess you’d better skip the tonkatsu today,” she whispered.

Shizune shrugged sheepishly, “Guess you’re right.” 

After a brief wait, Shizune bought some yakitori, and they found a nearby bench to eat on. Sakura waited for Shizune to get situated before digging into her lunch. She’d been feeling lazy the night before and made some quick onigiri from leftovers.

“So, Shizune-san, how are you liking life in Leaf Village?” Sakura asked.

Shizune looked contemplatively at the town while she munched on her chicken skewer. “It’s strange to be back.”

“Back?” Sakura went rigid. She didn’t remember Shizune being from the village. Had anyone mentioned that to her? She hoped she hadn’t forgotten.

“Yeah. I grew up here and left with Lady Tsunade when my uncle died in the Second Shinobi War. Dan Kato, maybe you’ve heard of him.”

“Oh, not sure I’ve heard of the Katos.” Sakura relaxed a little. “I’m sorry about your uncle.”

Shizune’s mouth quirked into a sad smile. “Yeah. Well. It’s weird how little some things change. I’ve been gone so long, but it feels like Konoha hasn’t changed at all. Same families. Well, mostly the same families.” She looked at Sakura with some concern in her eyes. Sakura pretended not to notice that Shizune was referencing the Uchihas. Shizune continued, “Same restaurants, same schools.” Shizune stretched a little and shifted her weight on the bench. “Enough about me. How do you think your training with Lady Tsunade is going?” 

Sakura tried to think of a diplomatic answer. “Lady Tsunade is very knowledgeable, and I’m lucky that she agreed to take me on as an apprentice. I hope that I’m living up to her expectations.”

Shizune snorted. “Not to be rude, Sakura-san, but that didn’t really answer my question.”

Sakura took a deep breath and sighed. “It’s hard to tell is all.”

“You’re doing pretty well.” Sakura looked at her deadpan. “I’m serious,” Shizune blustered. “I remember how tough it was being her apprentice. She’s very selective with her praise. I wouldn’t take it to heart.”

“Glad to know it’s not just me,” Sakura replied. Out of curiosity, she asked, “Is it OK if I feed Tonton?”

Shizune seemed surprised. “Go for it.”

Sakura broke a piece off her onigiri. She knelt down and tapped the side of her thighs. “Hey, Tonton. Want a treat?” The pig ambled over and sniffed Sakura’s hand, pressing her warm, bristly snout against Sakura’s knuckles. It wasn’t as unpleasant as Sakura expected. Tonton snuffled some more and delicately took the rice from Sakura’s hand, licking her fingers. 

“Blech!” Sakura jerked back, unable to rein in her disgust. Shizune laughed and offered Sakura some napkins and hand sanitizer. While cleaning her hands, Sakura looked at her watch and noticed the time. “Oh, no! Lunch hour’s almost up. We’d better hurry back.” Shizune snapped to attention and speedily finished her skewer while Sakura grabbed up her lunch bag and their trash. Together, they speed walked back to the Academy.


End file.
